{"id":115595,"date":"2023-09-03T04:38:19","date_gmt":"2023-09-03T10:38:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/?p=115595"},"modified":"2023-09-03T04:38:44","modified_gmt":"2023-09-03T10:38:44","slug":"franklins-gull-images-better-late-than-never","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2023\/09\/03\/franklins-gull-images-better-late-than-never\/","title":{"rendered":"Franklin’s Gull Images – Better Late Than Never"},"content":{"rendered":"

I took these Franklin’s Gull images at Farmington Bay WMA nearly a year ago. I suppose it’s better late than never to share the photos with you all today.<\/p>\n

\"Franklin'sFranklin’s Gull swallowing a fish \u2013 Nikon D500, f7.1, 1\/2500, ISO 640, -0.3 EV, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light<\/span><\/p>\n

\n
\n
\n

I published these images of Franklin’s Gulls in my photo galleries last year but neglected to write about my experience with the gulls from last September.<\/p>\n

First, I have to say that I missed seeing Franklin’s Gulls this year. I heard and saw a few of them before I headed to Virginia, Texas, Arkansas, and Oklahoma this spring and early summer. Franklin’s Gulls are not year-round residents in northern Utah; they are only here for their breeding season.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

\"Franklin'sFranklin’s Gull in a shallow pond \u2013 Nikon D500, f7.1, 1\/3200, ISO 640, -0.3 EV, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light<\/span><\/p>\n

By this time of the year, their young are pretty much on their own, and all of them are preparing for their long migration. Franklin’s Gulls are highly migratory birds that spend their nonbreeding season along the coasts of Chile and Peru, as well as the west coast of Central and South America.<\/p>\n

When Franklin’s Gulls are gone, I miss their soft calls<\/span><\/a> and their beauty. This winter, I suspect I will miss them even more deeply because I haven’t been around them very much at all this year.<\/p>\n

\"Franklin'sFranklin’s Gull before migration \u2013 Nikon D500, f7.1, 1\/3200, ISO 640, -0.3 EV, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light<\/span><\/p>\n

Last September, when I found these Franklin’s Gulls foraging and feeding in a shallow pond at Farmington Bay WMA, I knew it might be my last opportunity of the year to capture images of these medium-sized gulls. So, I focused on them in between taking photos of Lesser and Greater Yellowlegs, which were also present at the same small pond.<\/p>\n

\"Franklin'sFranklin’s Gull on a mudflat \u2013 Nikon D500, f7.1, 1\/2000, ISO 640, -0.3 EV, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light<\/span><\/p>\n

I took numerous photos of the Franklin’s Gulls, both up close and from a distance. I have a deep fondness for this gull species, and surprisingly, I don’t have as many photos of them as I’d like.<\/p>\n

\"Franklin'sFranklin’s Gull about to lift off from a mudflat \u2013 Nikon D500, f7.1, 1\/2000, ISO 640, -0.3 EV, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light<\/span><\/p>\n

This last photo probably doesn’t mean much to anyone but me, but it made me giggle and laugh out loud. The belly of the gull before it lifted off just looked wonky compared to how these gulls normally look.<\/p>\n

Soon enough, all of the Franklin’s Gulls that spent their breeding season in northern Utah will take wing and fly south. I truly hope that I get to have them in my viewfinder one more time before they leave.<\/p>\n

Life is<\/em> good.<\/p>\n

Mia<\/p>\n

Click here<\/span><\/a> to see more of my Franklin\u2019s Gull photos plus facts and information about this species.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

I took these Franklin’s Gull images at Farmington Bay WMA nearly a year ago. I suppose it’s better late than never to share the photos with you all today.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":106307,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[27,1022,697,1336,26],"tags":[4004,14172,4488,4329,3539,521,4330,4094,5465,530,4246,1984,1735,2315,3996,4095],"class_list":["post-115595","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-avian","category-davis-county-utah","category-farmington-bay-wma","category-franklins-gulls","category-utah","tag-adult","tag-azolla","tag-duckweed","tag-franklins-gull","tag-gull","tag-gulls","tag-leucophaeus-pipixcan","tag-marsh","tag-migrate","tag-migration","tag-nonbreeding-plumage","tag-pond","tag-shallow","tag-summer-3","tag-water","tag-wetlands"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/franklins-gull-pond-mia-mcpherson-2165.jpg","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p11Mom-u4r","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":95195,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2021\/09\/18\/franklins-gull-flying-in-a-smoky-sky\/","url_meta":{"origin":115595,"position":0},"title":"Franklin’s Gull Flying In A Smoky Sky","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"September 18, 2021","format":false,"excerpt":"I have a soft spot for gulls so when I had the opportunity two days ago to photograph this Franklin's Gull flying in a smoky sky I was both excited and thrilled.","rel":"","context":"In "Birds"","block_context":{"text":"Birds","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Adult Franklin's Gull flying in a smoky sky, Farmington Bay WMA, Davis County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/franklins-gull-flight-smoky-sky-mia-mcpherson-3499.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/franklins-gull-flight-smoky-sky-mia-mcpherson-3499.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/franklins-gull-flight-smoky-sky-mia-mcpherson-3499.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/franklins-gull-flight-smoky-sky-mia-mcpherson-3499.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":51126,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2018\/03\/03\/winter-california-and-herring-gull-portraits-comparisons\/","url_meta":{"origin":115595,"position":1},"title":"Winter California and American Herring Gull Portrait Comparisons","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"March 3, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"We have the Ring-billed and California Gulls in northern Utah year round but the Herring Gulls are only winter visitors to this area.","rel":"","context":"In "American Herring Gulls"","block_context":{"text":"American Herring Gulls","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/gulls\/herring-gulls\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Winter American Herring Gull profile portrait, Farmington Bay WMA, Davis County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/herring-gull-winter-mia-mcpherson-5451.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/herring-gull-winter-mia-mcpherson-5451.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/herring-gull-winter-mia-mcpherson-5451.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/herring-gull-winter-mia-mcpherson-5451.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":39116,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2016\/05\/02\/franklins-gull-and-laughing-gull-comparison\/","url_meta":{"origin":115595,"position":2},"title":"Franklin’s Gull and Laughing Gull Comparison","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"May 2, 2016","format":false,"excerpt":"I know this isn't a complete Franklin's Gull and Laughing Gull comparison but I'm not a scientist, just a bird photographer and bird lover.","rel":"","context":"In "Antelope Island State Park"","block_context":{"text":"Antelope Island State Park","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/locations\/utah\/antelope-island-state-park\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Franklin's Gull chasing Brine flies, Antelope Island State Park, Davis County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/05\/franklins-gull-feeding-brine-flies-mia-mcpherson-8201.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/05\/franklins-gull-feeding-brine-flies-mia-mcpherson-8201.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/05\/franklins-gull-feeding-brine-flies-mia-mcpherson-8201.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/05\/franklins-gull-feeding-brine-flies-mia-mcpherson-8201.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":4594,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2012\/03\/05\/franklins-gulls-feeding-frenzy\/","url_meta":{"origin":115595,"position":3},"title":"Franklin’s Gulls ~ Feeding Frenzy","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"March 5, 2012","format":false,"excerpt":"Last year while I was camping and photographing at Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge I saw a feeding frenzy that involved Franklin's and California Gulls in the flooded grasses and Sagebrush flats near the Lower Lake.","rel":"","context":"In "Birds"","block_context":{"text":"Birds","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Franklin's Gull in flight","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/09\/franklins-gull-flight-montana-mia-mcpherson-2668.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/09\/franklins-gull-flight-montana-mia-mcpherson-2668.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/09\/franklins-gull-flight-montana-mia-mcpherson-2668.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/09\/franklins-gull-flight-montana-mia-mcpherson-2668.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":56437,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2019\/03\/06\/early-franklins-gull-at-bear-river-mbr-on-march-6-2018\/","url_meta":{"origin":115595,"position":4},"title":"Early Franklin’s Gull at Bear River MBR on March 6, 2018","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"March 6, 2019","format":false,"excerpt":"While I had the Sandhill Crane and the Ring-billed Gulls in my view finder I heard a call and it only took a second for my brain to figure out that I was hearing a Franklin's Gull which surprised me because it was at the refuge much earlier than I\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Antelope Island State Park"","block_context":{"text":"Antelope Island State Park","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/locations\/utah\/antelope-island-state-park\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Early Franklin's Gull at Bear River MBR - March 6, 2018, Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Box Elder County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/franklins-gull-early-arrival-sandhill-crane-mia-mcpherson-7237.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/franklins-gull-early-arrival-sandhill-crane-mia-mcpherson-7237.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/franklins-gull-early-arrival-sandhill-crane-mia-mcpherson-7237.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/franklins-gull-early-arrival-sandhill-crane-mia-mcpherson-7237.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":48366,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2017\/09\/06\/franklins-and-ring-billed-gulls-flying-in-smoky-skies\/","url_meta":{"origin":115595,"position":5},"title":"Franklin’s and Ring-billed Gulls Flying in Smoky Skies","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"September 6, 2017","format":false,"excerpt":"I did take some nice Franklin's and Ring-billed Gull photos in flight over the water of the marshes at the refuge despite the smoky sky.","rel":"","context":"In "Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge"","block_context":{"text":"Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/locations\/utah\/bear-river-migratory-bird-refuge\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Franklin's Gull flying in a smoky sky","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/09\/franklins-gull-smokey-sky-mia-mcpherson-0860.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/09\/franklins-gull-smokey-sky-mia-mcpherson-0860.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/09\/franklins-gull-smokey-sky-mia-mcpherson-0860.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/09\/franklins-gull-smokey-sky-mia-mcpherson-0860.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/115595","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=115595"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/115595\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/106307"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=115595"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=115595"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=115595"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}